Joey Paul's Blog, page 21

Wrapping Your Writing Year [CC]

Talking about wrapping up your writing year! #Authortube BUY CRAMPING CHRONICLES: THE THIRD ACHE: http://www.books2read.com/ACHE03BUY BLACKOUT IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/BOUT
BUY THE FRIENDSHIP TRIANGLE IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/TFTA
BUY WAITING ON YOU IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/WOY
BUY DYING THOUGHTS - SECOND SIGHT IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/DTSS 
BUY DESTINATION: UNKNOWN IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/DUKN
BUY LIGHTS OUT IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/LOUT
BUY WALK A MILE IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/WAM
BUY MY BOOKS: http://www.joeypaulonline.com/p/aboutjoeys-books.htmlSIGN UP TO MY NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/h89_5fBUY TICKETS FOR WONDERLAND 2025: https://buytickets.at/wonderland1/1078461
BLOG: http://www.joeypaulonline.com/TUMBLR: http://authorjoeypaul.tumblr.comFACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/JoeyPaulOnlineBLUESKY: https://bsky.app/profile/msjoeybug.bsky.social
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/authorjoeypaulTHREADS: https://www.threads.net/@authorjoeypaul

 

 

#TeaserTuesday

Tara is learning that she has to be careful who she tells about her gift...
BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/DTSS

[ID: An out of focus sky shot  with the title DYING THOUGHTS - SECOND SIGHT at the top and out now in ebooK, paperback & audiobook just above the title The except reads:

“Seriously, if you’d been charged with murder and you found out the police used a psychic person, and a FIFTEEN year old psychic, how would you feel?”
“Pretty pissed off.”
“Yeah, but would you believe it?”
“Well, yeah, coz I know you, but if I was your everyday nutter, I might not.”
“My point is proven.”
“Spoilsport.”

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the bottom left corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

 

You Can't Do It Wrong: Revision

YOU CAN'T DO IT WRONG: REVISION

A couple of weeks ago, I talked about how you can't draft wrong (piece found here), and this week I thought I would turn to one of the other parts of writing and publishing, and that's revision. Right now I've taken a break from drafting so that I can work on revising and possibly rewriting older projects. The past four or five months have been spent with my going through both projects from start to finish and finding out what needs to be changed, what can be scrapped and what needs to be expanded upon. It's been an eye opener to me as to how I approach revision, and I kinda felt like this piece was also one to write.

See, I always found it hard to both edit and revise. I think it was because I didn't have a set process for it. I always found the editing process hard, and I just much prefer drafting because I kinda know what I'm doing there. But revision is something else entirely. I'll stick to just that rather than editing as well, and probably will talk about that beast next week.

But revision is something that, like drafting, everyone approaches differently. I don't know if it's inherent in how we draft, or whether because the story is told, we're just more able to find a way that works for us when it comes to tightening things up and closing plot holes and the like. My first time revising I struggled to find out what I needed to do and what process I needed to adopt. I'd done self-editing passes, and they seemed to be pretty straight forward, but revision? Nah that was a completely different beast!

So I took advice from this person, read books about it from other writers, and sat down to find my process. I knew that as a mostly pantser, I would probably have a whole lot of threads that were both left dangling or weren't needed any more because they went nowhere and added nothing to the plot. I honestly got caught up in doing things the 'right' way that it kinda overwhelmed me.

There's a lot of ways to do all the things in the creative process, and like I've said before, everyone is different. Everyone has their own way of working, and that's okay. That's normal. That's how it is. But I think the problem comes when people, with large platforms or not, try to give the idea that their way is the only way, and that if you can't or don't work like that, you are wrong, and can't be a writer.

Which, to be frank, is just crap! We all work differently, it's part of the human experience that s really humbling and awesome at the same time. It's normal to do things differently than your peers. It's normal to have a completely different process compared to any other writer. It's okay to approach revision in a way that no one else you know does. That's okay. That's how you work and doing the best for yourself is the right approach. There is little point in twisting yourself into knots trying to work how someone else says is the only right way, when actually it's never going to work for you, because you don't work that way.

We all draft differently. We all write differently. We all revise differently. That's okay. You're not doing it wrong. You're doing it your way, and that's not a bad thing. We all have to find our own way of doing things, and that's okay.

So remember that and remember this: YOU CAN'T REVISE WRONG.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

Follow Joey to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books. 

Review of Sirens & Blades by Amanda Kaye

 

Bound to defend the man her family swore to destroy.

When her first mission as an assassin ends in disaster, Marina finds herself stuck protecting the prince she was going to kill. And they both hate it. Sebastian’s busy fighting to save his kingdom, he can't afford to be distracted by the beautiful red-head with a mysterious past.

To Marina’s amazement, spending time with the charming prince-turned-pirate isn’t the punishment she thought it would be. Soon, she’s more concerned about Sebastian stealing her heart than keeping him alive. But when tragedy strikes and the Sea Witch attacks, Marina finds herself trapped by her web of lies.

Can Marina save Sebastian from the Sea Witch, or will her secrets destroy them both?

Amazon

My Review: 5 STARS

Having read Kaye’s work before, I saw this one and had to read it. Kaye has a way of pulling you into the story, while sprinkling worlds that seem so very real and characters that are completely relatable. I adored Marina and Sebastian and I loved the way their story twisted and turned and left you guessing and hoping for that sweet happy ending. The whole idea of it all was perfectly crafted and it was a book I flew through because I had to know what happened next. I adored it, and it’s another one that I very much recommend!
Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Year Of Writing Count: 2024 [CC]

Giving you the count for all the words, pages, and chapters I wrote and revised this writing year! #Authortube BUY CRAMPING CHRONICLES: THE THIRD ACHE: http://www.books2read.com/ACHE03BUY BLACKOUT IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/BOUT
BUY THE FRIENDSHIP TRIANGLE IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/TFTA
BUY WAITING ON YOU IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/WOY
BUY DYING THOUGHTS - SECOND SIGHT IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/DTSS 
BUY DESTINATION: UNKNOWN IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/DUKN
BUY LIGHTS OUT IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/LOUT
BUY WALK A MILE IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/WAM
BUY MY BOOKS: http://www.joeypaulonline.com/p/aboutjoeys-books.htmlSIGN UP TO MY NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/h89_5fBUY TICKETS FOR WONDERLAND 2025: https://buytickets.at/wonderland1/1078461
BLOG: http://www.joeypaulonline.com/TUMBLR: http://authorjoeypaul.tumblr.comFACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/JoeyPaulOnlineBLUESKY: https://bsky.app/profile/msjoeybug.bsky.social
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/authorjoeypaulTHREADS: https://www.threads.net/@authorjoeypaul

 

#TeaserTuesday

The more Tara finds out about her mum, the more she wonders about herself...
BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/DTFT

[ID: A yellow cracked wall background with the title DYING THOUGHTS - FIRST TOUCH at the top and out now in ebooK, paperback & audiobook just above the title The except reads:

July 21st
They’re getting more frequent now and I can’t control them. I’m going to have to say something to Colin soon, before he really gets worried about me. I had a vision in front of him and he called an ambulance. The hospital was the worst place – everything I touched set me off. I wanted to cover everything in disinfectant first but I couldn’t, of course. You would be amazed at how long the echo of people’s deaths hangs around. Grandmother told me the length of time depends on three things.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

Deciding On Success - The Creative Process

DECIDING ON SUCCESS

Success isn't something someone else can define for you. I mean there are universal definitions, like if you hit a bestseller list, or if your book gets made into a movie, or a monetary goal. But at the end of the day, those things happen to so few writers and authors, that they're kinda the dream big, but be okay with knowing you might not hit them. I have never hit a bestseller list. I doubt my books will ever be made into a movie, and I like the idea of making more money, but it's also not where I, personally, would claim success.

You see, no one can tell you when you've 'made it'. That's something you have to know for yourself. I always try and set goals that I don't really tell other people about for my books. Like hitting a certain number of sales in a time period, or having this happen with a reviewer or whatever. I've won awards for my books, three, and was listed for another. That could, to a lot of people, define success, and it does for me too, but here's the thing no one really tells you when you're just starting out: definitions change.

I don't mean that the things that come before are meaningless. Nope, my awards are in pride of place on my wall. I have it in my bio that I've won awards. I have a whole page on my website about them. I am proud of my awards, and I earned them. My books earned them. But that doesn't mean that therefore I've reached the height of my career and there's nothing left to do.

What I'm trying to say is, that with the way the world works, there's always going to be something new and shiny that will redefine success for you, whether you want it to or not. My last award was in 2020 I think, and I've released other books since then, and the reading and writing world has moved on. That's not a bad thing, we can't always be looking back at the past, but you need to define, and decide what success means for you.

I know I just said that it will change, and it will, but you need to be the one to make that choice of when you will feel like you've made it. For some authors it's more about just knowing their book is out there. For others, it's hitting a certain sales goal. For even more, it's about being able to quit the day job and be a writer full time. I'm talking generally there, for a lot of people, indie and trad, the thought of putting all your eggs in one basket and living off your books alone, is terrifying because that income is not guaranteed. But I digress, whatever that definition is for you, that's what matters, that's what you're working towards.

At the start I mentioned universal definitions, and they remain true, but I would caution you of only dreaming big. While yes, it's a great thing to be able to aim towards something like movie deals, or bestseller lists, and if that keeps you on track, go for it, but also remember to have the realistic and the smaller ones too. No one else can define success for you. Even if you're a writer who is full time, has movie options, has more sales than you know what to do with, you will still keep looking to that next goal, because we're human, and it's what we do.

So make a conscious choice to decide and define what success looks like for you, right now. Keep moving forward, keep your eyes on the goal, and just remember that it will take time. No one is an instant success, even those who seem to be have a lot going on in the background. Decide your success, and keep working on it. You will get there, it just might take a while.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

Follow Joey to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books. 

Review of Camp Nightfall by Kira Moericke

 Being a disgrace to her family name, Gemini Dracula is sent to Camp Nightfall to help her get over her fear of drinking blood. There, she meets other supernaturals trying to correct their flaws, including Heath Wilder, an annoying but tempting werewolf, born to be the future leader of one of the most prestigious packs in North America. But there is a lot more that happens after dark than Gemini realizes. Girls at camp are being murdered, and Gemini knows that if she’s not careful, she could be next. Amazon 
My Review: 4 STARS
I picked this up because the blurb sounded interesting and the thought of a camp for supernatural creatures to get better intrigued me. I loved Gemini, and all the other characters, and while the story was engaging and well written, I felt like it could’ve been expanded upon and drawn out. The mystery was well done, and I loved the twists and turns through the plot. Overall it was a good book, and one that I enjoyed.
Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

 

Writing Challenges While Chronically Ill [CC]

Talking about doing writing challenges while being chronically ill and/or disabled! #Authortube BUY CRAMPING CHRONICLES: THE THIRD ACHE: http://www.books2read.com/ACHE03BUY BLACKOUT IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/BOUT
BUY THE FRIENDSHIP TRIANGLE IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/TFTA
BUY WAITING ON YOU IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/WOY
BUY DYING THOUGHTS - SECOND SIGHT IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/DTSS 
BUY DESTINATION: UNKNOWN IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/DUKN
BUY LIGHTS OUT IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/LOUT
BUY WALK A MILE IN AUDIOBOOK: http://www.books2read.com/WAM
BUY MY BOOKS: http://www.joeypaulonline.com/p/aboutjoeys-books.htmlSIGN UP TO MY NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/h89_5fBUY TICKETS FOR WONDERLAND 2025: https://buytickets.at/wonderland1/1078461
BLOG: http://www.joeypaulonline.com/TUMBLR: http://authorjoeypaul.tumblr.comFACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/JoeyPaulOnlineBLUESKY: https://bsky.app/profile/msjoeybug.bsky.social
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/authorjoeypaulTHREADS: https://www.threads.net/@authorjoeypaulGOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/joeypaulonline  

 

#TeaserTuesday

Lisa might have a point but Tally isn't going to admit that...BUY NOW: http://www.books2read.com/BOUT

[ID: A dark blue/purple background with the title BLACKOUT at the top and out now in ebook, paperback & audiobook just above the title The except reads:

“You don’t know anything about me. I didn’t judge you when you came back to school did I?” she demanded. I hated that she was right. It’s true, she was one of the only people who didn’t stare at me or say anything. But then again up until a few seconds ago she’d never said anything to me before.
“No,” I replied.
“Then just leave me alone,” she told me. She pushed her chair out, tossed her bag over her shoulder, shot me an evil look and walked out. Wow, Lisa had a temper on her. I wonder why she’s so touchy.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the bottom left corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]